


Can't Say No

by Zena13



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-29
Updated: 2013-10-06
Packaged: 2017-12-27 23:13:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 11,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/984783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zena13/pseuds/Zena13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>*Set as if Terry had never walked in on Ian and Mickey and their relationship was allowed to continue. Ian still leaves for the army, since Mickey still hasn't said what Ian wants and Mickey still doesn't stop him.*</p>
<p>After Lip drunkenly outs Mickey to both the Gallagher's and the Milkovich's, Fiona invites Mickey to stay with the Gallagher's. Mickey slowly but surely becomes part of the Gallagher clan, pitching in and looking after the youngest Gallaghers. But when Ian finally gets busted and returns from the army, he is different and no longer wants to put up with Mickey not being able to give him what he wants, but what if Mickey could give him what he wants finally?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

All Mickey had to say was “Don’t go”, “I need you”, “I love you”, but all he managed to say was “don’t”. It was all Mickey could give Ian and it should have been enough, but Ian wanted more and maybe if this had been a few months later then Mickey could’ve given him more… but he just couldn’t.   
If he’d have just said “Please don’t leave me”, Ian wouldn’t have enrolled in the army - not just yet anyway - and Lip wouldn’t currently be drunkenly running his mouth about Ian leaving, in front of not only the Gallagher’s, but the Milkovich’s too.

“You fucked him for two years” Lip drawled. “Why couldn’t you just ask him to stay?! For our sake at least!” 

“Lip!” Fiona had scolded, trying, but failing, to pull Lip away from the Southsides most infamous thug. “Don’t.” Fiona was mad and upset that Ian had left too but that didn’t mean that she was going to let Lip do something that could hurt Mickey, someone that Ian really cared about.

Lip laughed and stepped forward, gripping the front of Mickey’s shirt, it reminded him of all the times Ian had done so, his lips hovering threateningly near Mickey’s for what seemed like forever before Mickey growled out a “I’ll cut your tongue out your head” or something of the sort.  
“You better hope that my brother doesn’t get hurt out there just because you wanted a guy to fuck.” Lip snarled drunkenly. “Or I swear to god I will kill you.” Lip prodded Mickey for emphasis. 

“What’s this kid on?” Terry asked stood with Mickey’s brothers. “Aren’t you going to hit him for talking like that?”

Lip laughed bitterly. “Go on Mickey, tell him. Tell him how you took my brothers dick up your ass for two years yet you couldn’t tell him you loved him. How you let him enrol in the army, where he could die, or come back with no arms!”

Mickey who hadn’t said anything for the last 15 minutes turned around to face his father, avoiding the gaze of the Gallagher’s, he nervously swallowed and went to talk, perhaps to deny what Lip had accused, before cutting himself off with a sigh and rubbing his thumb over his lip.

Mickey let his hand drop from his mouth. “He’s not on anything.” Mickey shrugged, his voice breaking slightly, he avoided his father’s gaze and staring at a ‘rather interesting’ spot on the wall. Mickey figured he owed them, Ian including, this at least. If anything happened to Ian, Mickey wouldn’t be able to live with himself.

The Gallagher’s were still stood by the entrance of the Milkovich house, they had gone looking for Lip who had gone on a boozer before ending up at the Milkovich’s demanding to see Mickey, intending to do some damage his brothers lovers face but had just drunkenly rambled at Mickey. Lip’s mouth was opened in surprise, he hadn’t expected Mickey to admit to being gay, to fucking his brother, he expected him to deny it, to punch the eldest Gallagher boy, not this. Liam was hanging out of Fiona’s arms who had already known about Ian being gay. Carl had opened his mouth ready to ask a question, undoubtedly about gay sex, but he closed it again with a groan and an ‘ouch’ when Debbie pressed down on his foot, she may be small but boy could she do some damage. 

Iggy and Joey went to move forward, but their father stopped them. “Don’t come back to the house. You can get your crap, but I ain’t having no fucking faggot live in my house.” Terry spat. Mickey nodded courtly, he was surprised Terry hadn’t killed him himself but didn’t push his luck. “Get out.” 

Mickey ran, pushing past the Gallagher’s and leaving through the front door, not bothering with his stuff, not stopping to work out where he was going, he just ran. Without even realising it Mickey had run all the way to the baseball field where he and Ian had met up so many times over the past two years. When Mickey realised where he was he punched the brick wall, shook his hand in pain then slid down the wall letting his head fall into his hands and for the first time in the week since Ian had left Mickey let himself cry, not just a few tears like the night that Ian had left, full on crying, and Milkovich’s don’t cry, but Mickey couldn’t bring himself to care. Mickey had no idea where he was going to stay, maybe it would’ve been better if Terry had just killed him, for him, for the Gallagher’s; knowing that the person who had caused Ian to leave had got his just desserts.

At some point he must’ve fallen asleep since Mickey woke to his phone’s annoying ringtone that he hadn’t been bothered to change. 

It was Mandy… Mickey didn’t answer.

 

Mickey just got on with his life; he would have to figure it out as he went along. The first step was to go to work, to tell Linda that Ian wouldn’t be working at the Kash & Grab anymore, not for a while anyway, ‘four years, minimum’ Gallagher had said. Linda unsurprisingly didn’t care and just upped Mickey’s hours, which suited Mickey just fine since he had nothing to do anymore anyway. 

Mickey had just finished restacking the feminine hygiene section when Fiona Gallagher bustled through the door, the youngest Gallagher in tow. Mickey looked towards the door when the bell rang, he put down the pricing gun and opened his mouth to speak.  
“I didn’t want him to leave.” Was all Mickey said as he watched Liam pick up a pack of pads and try to offer them to him. 

“That’s not what I’m here for.” Fiona replied taking the packet of pads off Liam and placing it back on the shelf. “You’re welcome to stay with us, as long as you contribute.” Fiona had felt guilty that her oldest brother had run his mouth leaving Mickey Milkovich homeless, there was a spare bed and they could do with the income since Ian had left, but she wasn’t expecting Mickey to say yes. 

“Nobody would want me there.” Mickey replied glancing down at the toddler who had wrapped his arms as far around the older boy as he could, he was mumbling words that had no meaning at least to anyone who wasn’t two.

“Ian would, I’m sure.” Fiona smiled reassuringly. “I would too, Liam already loves you.” The toddler giggled. “Carl will probably look up to you if anything, and Debbie see’s the best in everyone. Lip will come around eventually; he just seems to be losing everything that matters these days.” It was true in the last few weeks Lip had lost Karen and Mandy, now Ian. 

Mickey raised his eyebrow. “He’s two; he doesn’t know what love is.” Mickey carefully pried the toddler’s dark fingers from his waist and dropped his little hands by his side.

Fiona picked up the small child who immediately reached out to Mickey. “So what do you say Mickey? Will you stay with us? I’m not going to beg you to stay, but I think that’s what Ian would want, and I’m sorry that Lip outted you to your dad and brother.” 

“I have nowhere else to go.” Mickey replied. “That would be.. cool.” Fiona nodded in reply knowing that she’s wasn't going to receive a thank you from the tattooed boy.


	2. Chapter 2

The first night that Mickey had stayed at the Gallagher’s, Mickey didn’t know what to expect. Mandy had brought Mickey’s stuff round, hurriedly passing it to Debbie and giving her a quick hug before leaving just as quickly as she had arrived, to avoid Lip. Fiona had told Mickey to sleep in Ian’s bed, which the Milkovich boy had fully intended to do until he lay awake at 2.35am bathing in Ian’s smell, he just couldn’t sleep there, so Mickey ended up asleep on the sofa by 3am. What Mickey didn’t expect though was to be woken up by a black toddler pulling on his hair, the same black toddler that Fiona had with her when she had invited him to stay, Liam, Mickey thinks he’s called but he’s not sure. The other thing that Mickey didn’t expect was that Fiona was making breakfast, well he expected that but what he didn’t expect was for Fiona to offer him some.

Mickey picked Liam up and took him to the kitchen with him, not because he cared or anything but Fiona would probably kick him out if Liam had tripped over something he’d left lying around in the living room because Mickey hadn’t. “I don’t get why you’re being so nice to me.” It was phrased as a statement but asked as a question. After all it had been mickey’s fault that Ian had gone to go get his ass shot of in one of the -stan’s, and here Ian’s eldest sister was cooking breakfast and his youngest brother was in his arms. 

“Ian left you too.” Fiona replied. Mickey frowned; it was true Ian had left Mickey even though Mickey had tried his best to make him stay, but would Ian have still left anyway even if Mickey had said the words Ian had longed to hear?

Debbie walked into the kitchen, not seeming surprised to see her youngest brother in Mickey’s arms, not even surprised that Mickey was stood in their kitchen either. Debbie looked the most like Ian and whilst it should’ve made him feel quite sad seeing another redheaded Gallagher with lots of freckles and green eyes, but it actually felt strangely assuring, she also was the most like Ian personality wise, always seeing the best in people including Mickey. 

“Do you have work today Mickey?” Debbie asked getting the orange juice out the fridge, and various different pieces of crockery out of the cupboards.

“Yep.” Mickey replied putting Liam into his high chair. “Not until tonight though.”

“Oh great you can look after Liam then.” Fiona smiled, starting to put breakfast into the various pieces of crockery that Debbie had pulled out of the d handing the first to Mickey to starting feeding the little boy. “Carl! Lip!” 

Fiona didn’t give Mickey the chance to say no to the eldest Gallagher child, but Mickey can’t help feeling that he wouldn’t have said no to her if he had had the choice. Maybe Ian isn’t the only Gallagher that Mickey just can’t say no to. 

Carl bounded down the stairs, two at a time, sounding like an elephant, he raised an eyebrow at Mickey, but even Carl had enough sense not to comment on the fact that the guy that Ian had been fucking, who was the same guy that had wanted to kill Ian previously and the same guy that Lip had outed two days before, was sat at their kitchen table feeding his younger brother actually seeming like a human being for once rather than a machine. “So you were having sex with my brother?” Carl asked plonking himself down in the chair next to Debbie. 

Mickey paused colouring slightly, a spoonful of egg on the way to Liam’s mouth, he looked at Fiona with a look that asked ‘am I meant to answer that question?’. Mickey cleared his throat. “What do you think?” He said to the younger boy finally letting Liam eat the spoonful of egg that had been teasing the young boy for the past minute or so.

“Lip said you did.” Carl replied before licking the yolk of the fried egg that Fiona had put on a plate for him. “And you didn’t deny it.”

Mickey shrugged. “What’s it to you?” Mickey asked trying to avoid the kids gaze.

“Was he any good?” Carl asked looking up from his eggs, Debbie almost spat out her drink and if Mickey had been eating his breakfast Mickey was sure he would’ve spat it out, or choked on it. 

“Carl you don’t ask things like that.” Debbie giggled, watching as Mickey coloured even more. 

“I’m not sure whether Ian would want me to answer that.” Mickey replied feeding the last of Liam’s breakfast to the little boy and moving the bowl away from his little grabby hands. 

“He obviously was.” Lip’s voice came from the door to the kitchen. “Or Mickey would’ve been done with him already.” Lip walked through the door and made his way to the table where he sat in the remaining seat that was furthest away from Mickey. “And what are you doing here exactly?”

“Well thanks to someone.” Fiona started giving Lip a look. “Mickey no longer has a house to live in..”

“Fi, he’s the reason that Ian has left to get his head blown off is because of this fucking clown!” Lip argues gesturing towards Mickey, who looks like he wants to say something, but he doesn’t, and it’s probably for the best because it’s far too early for any blood to be shed.

“Lip, Mickey didn’t want Ian to go either.” Debbie said finishing her toast and picking up her coat, she then left through the back door. And Mickey’s not sure why Debbie is saying this, how she knows but she’s like Ian always knows everything about Mickey without him having to say a single word. 

Lip scoffed. “Lip, I thought you were going to the library?” Fiona said, Lip hadn’t been, but Mickey looked so damn uncomfortable. 

“Whatever Fiona.” Lip shoved the last piece of his toast into his mouth and shoved the chair back under the table and left. 

“So was he?” Carl asked looking at Mickey. 

“What?” Mickey’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Good at sex.” Carl drank the rest of his orange juice. 

“Sure.” Mickey replied and watched as Fiona kissed Liam on the head. 

“Try not to burn this place down whilst I’m at work.” Fiona smiled wrapping her scarf around her neck. “Debbie will be back at twelve, Carl will be here all day probably, and Liam is easy enough to look after, just stick him in front of the wiggles.”


	3. Chapter 3

If you’d have told Mickey two years ago that he would be sat with a black toddler, a Gallagher at that, colouring in pictures of ponies and flowers, watching the wiggles, he would’ve told you that you were crazy. Or punched you. But it’s those damn Gallagher’s. They’re so damn hard to say no to. So when Liam toddled over to Mickey, who was sat on the couch with Carl nursing a beer and playing video games, with a colouring book and some pencils demanding the wiggles Mickey bit his tongue but turned off the game and sat crossed legged in front of the tv and started helping Liam colour in a picture of a house. 

Liam had been the easiest to look after, and don’t you dare tell anyone - he has a reputation to uphold - but probably the most fun to look after too .Even more so than when Carl had bounded in with a baseball bat asking Mickey how to use it and he’d spent half an hour with a broomstick with a wig on it teaching Carl (after making Carl promise that nobody was going to end up in the hospital with Carl in handcuffs down the police station, being homeless would be the worst of his worries, Fiona would kill him for that) how he should aim for the backs of the knees. 

Debbie had asked a billion and one questions, and it pained Mickey, because Firecrotch had done that too, and this time Mickey couldn’t dismiss the questions with a ‘fuck you’. So when Debbie had come back home and sat down on the sofa behind Mickey and Liam and started asking stupid stuff like what was he allergic to and when was his birthday, it crushed Mickey because Ian wasn’t in the Southside anymore, he was god knows where, but it was also kinda nice because not only did Debbie remind him of Ian but it was nice to have someone asking about him, actually caring about him. It was more than the Milkovich’s had ever done for him. So he actually answered Debbie’s questions and tried to hide his shit-eating grin when Debbie wrote the answers down in a small notebook.

And if you told Mickey that he would end up cooking half of the Gallagher children pizza bagels for lunch he probably wouldn’t believe you, he laughs when he realises what he’s doing. And when Debbie asks him to bakes fairy cakes with her, he ends up wearing an apron with flour in his hair, those damn Gallagher’s.

If you asked Mickey why he was colouring in pictures of houses and watching the wiggles and teaching a 10 year old to use a baseball bat and baking fairy cakes, he wouldn’t have an answer to give you, because he just doesn’t know. But he does knows that there is something about those Gallagher’s that makes it impossible to say no to. 

And when Fiona came back home from whichever job she managed to get that month, to the smell of cakes and the sound of the wiggles and Carl yelling about hitting people in the knees and sees Mickey in the middle of all of it, she can’t help but grin and she can’t help but think that it was a good idea that she offered Mickey a bed - well a couch - to sleep on, because he seems to be working wonders on the kids. It also seems to be softening Mickey up too, even though Ian had left him fairly soft, with all those bloody questions and smiles. 

 

When Mickey had left for the Kash and Grab that evening Liam had wrapped his arms around Mickey in an attempt to keep him at the Gallagher house, inevitably to colour in more flowers. Mickey had smiled and patted the toddler on the head and handed him over to Debbie before he ended up staying because he can’t say no to those bloody Gallagher’s.

And when Mickey walked back through the door at about midnight after shutting up shop and taking inventory he shut the door as quietly as he could so he didn’t wake any sleeping Gallagher’s, not because he cares but because he doesn’t think they would appreciate being woken up at this time of night. But when Mickey see’s Lip sat on the couch smoking a joint he almost runs back out of the door. But instead he finds himself rubbing his thumb over his lip before he mumbles out “I tried to get him to stay”.

Lip turns towards the source of the sounds and Mickey is relieved to see that Lip doesn’t look like he wants to punch Mickey and just cocks his head and raises his eyebrow questioningly. “The day before he enrolled, he came to see me- well Mandy. He told me he was enlisting and I asked him to stay. Not outright I couldn’t you know, but I said what I could. It just wasn’t enough for Ian though, I think he wanted me to bring him flowers and recite poetry about how much I love him.”

Lip considers what Mickey said. “And do you love him?” Lip asked after taking another drag of his joint, he never normally had a whole joint to himself it got him too high, and there was always someone to share it with, Ian or Karen or Mandy.

Mickey nodded slowly. “I could never tell him.” Mickey hesitantly took the joint from Lip’s extended arm and sat down next to him. “He was always telling me though, at the littlest thing I said and did, every time we.. and even when he caught me checking him out or whatever, but I just couldn’t bring myself to say it back.”

“He knew you did though.” Lip replied stealing the joint back. “Before the wedding, he cried, telling me that you couldn’t fake it, he knew, even if you couldn’t tell him.”

“That’s what annoys me. Ian fucking knew, and I couldn’t tell him, but I wanted to. And when he left I tried I said ‘Don’t’ it was all I could say but he knew what I was trying to say, and he knew that I wanted him to stay, but he wouldn’t.” Mickey’s head falls into his hands and he’s trying not to cry, Lip was the last person Mickey thought he would be having this conversation with Fiona maybe but no Lip, and somehow Mickey can’t bring himself to care, at least Lip doesn’t seem to mad at him anymore.

“I’m sorry.” Lip surprises Mickey by saying. “Fiona was right, Ian did leave you too. I’m sorry that I got you kicked out… I was just so mad. But I knew that he wanted to go and I knew he would eventually..”

“But you didn’t think it would be this soon.” Mickey finished laughing dryly. “Me neither, when Ian told me, I went down to that recruitment office and asked them what it would take to enrol, and they told me that you had to be eighteen and I thought that I had another year or two with him at least, but then he shows up telling me he’s leaving and I didn’t believe him because he’s only 16. But he told me he found a way around it…” Mickey swallowed. “I knew he was going to leaving the Southside eventually, whether it was for Westpoint or the army or for something else, he’s a smart kid, not as smart as you maybe, but he was going to graduate with good grades and he was going to leave. But I’m going to be here forever you know..”

Now Lip is looking at Mickey with pity and Mickey wants to punch him, because Milkovich’s don’t need pity, but he mentally reminds himself that technically he’s not a Milkovich anymore because his family (excluding Mandy) disowned him and he doesn’t want to wake anyone up. And Lip wants to say something but he can’t think of anything that would make this situation any better so he just hands Mickey the joint and pats him on the back. Mickey’s thankful for the silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter comes from my opinion, I think that Mickey gave Ian all that he could give him, I was in a relationship like that once and I was in Ian's position and I realise now that I should have excepted what he gave me but I always wanted him to say it even though I knew and it was all my fault in the end, so I can see where Ian is coming from but I think that Ian shouldn't push Mickey..  
> J x


	4. Chapter 4

After Lip and Mickey finished smoking the joint and Lip had retreated up the stairs telling Mickey that maybe he should try sleeping in Ian’s bed again for the first time in days Mickey actually had a decent night’s sleep. The next morning he hands Fiona his pay cheque and feeds Liam again, offering to look after the small child and Carl and Debbie too. 

“School starts again soon, so Carl and Debbie won’t be home during the day anymore.” Fiona says as she cooks the eggs.

Mickey nods and feeds Liam a piece of toast. “I never finished school you know. Never got decent grades since I was a freshmen, probably would still be a freshmen if I went back.” Mickey isn’t sure why he is indulging this information to Fiona, he remembers the conversation he had with Ian about school, and how he’d said the same thing to Ian. 

“Why don’t you start taking classes again?” Fiona suggests walking out the kitchen to get Lip and Carl up, Debbie had been up half an hour already and had already asked Mickey 11 questions about him and scribbled down the answers. “You don’t have to go back to high school.” Fiona adds as she takes the baseball bat of off Carl. “No baseball bats at the table.” Carl groaned but took it back off Fiona to hang it back on the hook by the stairs. 

Lip walked into the kitchen and slapped Mickey on the back. “You sleep okay? After last night?” He asked sitting down and taking a bite out of his toast. 

“Last night? What happened last night?” Debbie asked putting down her orange juice and cautiously looking at Mickey and Lip.

“Yeah what happened last night?” Fiona asked standing behind Lip with her arms crossed firmly, she had assumed the worst, that Mickey had come home and Lip had punched him or something but looking over Mickey he couldn’t see any obvious bruises or cuts. 

“Nothing.” Mickey shrugged. “We just talked.” Lip nodded.

“And your fists weren’t involved?” Fiona asked relieved when both boys nodded. 

Everybody had left - excluding Liam - before Fiona had to leave for work, Lip had gone to sell stuff with Kev in the van, Carl had gone to the park with Little Frank and Debbie had gone to the library, so Fiona sat down next to Mickey with a cup of coffee and handed Mickey one too. 

“I think it’s time we talked.” Fiona smiled at the boy offering him the sugar. “I didn’t know how you took it.” Mickey realises Fiona is talking about the coffee but he can’t help but colour a little as he thinks of the fact that he was the one taking it up the ass. “The coffee.” Fiona adds smirking when she notices his blush.

Mickey clears his throat and adds three sugars, Ian had always teased him about the fact that he took three sugars, telling him that he wasn’t a man and couldn’t take it strong or that he had a sweet tooth, which Mickey already knew from his love of Jell-o and snickers bars.. maybe Ian too. “Sure, what do you want to know?” Mickey asked putting the spoon down on the table.

“How did you and Ian end up seeing each other?” Fiona asked. “Last time I checked Gallagher’s and Milkovich’s don’t mix.”

“He came into my house waving a tyre iron about..” Mickey smiled remembering. “He wanted Kash’s gun back, I’d taken it off him the bloke didn’t know how to use it, could’ve ended up hurting someone, well he did, me. And we fought and ended up…” 

“See that’s what Gallagher’s are like they protect people that they care about.” Fiona smiled and Mickey is starting to think that it’s something that all the Gallagher’s do; they just smile all the time, that big shit-eating grin. It’s pretty infectious too. “Why did Ian leave now? It was only two more years until he could enrol.”

“Because I got married..” Mickey replied looking at his coffee rather than at Fiona, he felt guilty. “I had to though my dad, he’s the most homophobic person that I know and he was getting suspicious about Ian being around all the time. One of my brothers had already found out and he made me sleep with this hooker and I told him I wasn’t gay anymore, so that’s another reason why I married her to convince him too. Ian had begged me not to marry her, but I did… he knew that I cared about him though. He came round the day before he left, to see Mandy, but he spoke to me as well, expected me to tell him to stay… and I tried, but I couldn’t force the words out, the best I could give him was don’t, I just couldn’t. That was the first time I cried since I was really little.” Mickey laughed bitterly.

Fiona was taken aback; she hadn’t expected Mickey to be so emotional, to reveal so much, Mickey hadn’t either… “Mickey..”

“Please don’t pity me…” Mickey frowned and took a sip of his coffee. “Pity Ian if you want someone to pity, after all I was the one that never told him I loved him, that I didn’t wanted him to leave.”

“I’ll bet you he knew.” Fiona started clearing up the table.

“He did know.” Mickey looked over at Liam who was babbling away about nothing. “Always looking at me with these knowing looks, always trying to get me to say it. But I just couldn’t, I did, but I couldn’t say it.” 

“You were going to say it eventually though right?” Fiona asked.

“Of course I would do eventually, I’d look at him and think about saying it but then I’d stop myself.” Mickey shook his head. “I told him at the beginning that I’d never be able to give him what he wanted that way, that he shouldn’t expect that much of me, but he still did.”

 

“Ian said that when he gets assigned he’ll send us an address that we can write too.” Fiona told him putting the dishes into the sink and grabbing her coat. “Ian would probably like it if you wrote to him.”

Mickey shook his head. “He hates me.”

Fiona sighed. “Ian could never hate you Mickey, I know he loved.” Fiona sat down again. “I knew that he was seeing someone, that he loved that person, I just never knew who it was until now, and I know that he still loves you, if he didn’t he never would’ve talked to you before he left.” Fiona gave Mickey a hug and she left. The hug was weird Mickey didn’t hug back. Fiona was the only person other that Mandy (and Liam if you count him wrapping his tiny arms as far around Mickey as possible) that had ever hugged Mickey. Mickey liked it though, it made him feel loved for once...


	5. Chapter 5

Once Debbie got back from the library Mickey decided it was time for him to leave the house for something other than work, he just hoped that he didn’t run into any of his family members on the way.

Mickey was leaving to go do some target practise when Carl bounded back for the park a dead rabbit in tow. “Woah woah woah.” Mickey stopped the young boy. “What the fuck have you got there?”

“A rabbit.” Carl replied extending the rabbit towards Mickey with a shit-eating grin.

“That is a wild rabbit, right?” Mickey was internally crossing his fingers. “And not someone’s pet rabbit right?” Mickey wasn’t sure why he cared so much about some little girls pet rabbit, Mickey wasn’t too sure why he had started caring about anything actually..

Carl shrugged. “I found it in the woods, so I’m pretty sure that it is a wild rabbit, if not it’s a runaway rabbit and when they runaway they don’t come back.”

“Good.” Mickey turned around and walked away, Carl put the rabbit down and followed Mickey, who could hear the footsteps behind him but hoped if he ignored it, it would go away.

“Where are we going?” Carl asked falling into step beside Mickey.

“I am going to shoot at a target, you are hopefully going to turn around and walk back to the house and help Debbie look after baby Liam.” Mickey looked down at the smaller boy with a grimace, he didn’t mind looking after the kids when they were doing their stuff but he didn’t want them following him around when he was going to do stuff like shooting stuff, because he didn’t want to shoot one of ‘Fiona’s kids’, she remembered Ian using the term before when he recapped when Frank had head-butted him. 

“Cool, can I come?” Carl asked. “Please? I swear you won’t even notice me!” Carl looked up at Mickey like he was the coolest person that he’d ever met and Mickey can’t help but think that maybe Mickey was the coolest person that Carl had ever met, and if that’s true then that’s more than a bit sad. Mickey also can’t help but say yes to Carl and Mickey is convinced that those Gallagher’s are fucking hypnotists or some shit. 

“Fine.” Mickey said, trying to convince himself that it was just to get the younger kid to be quiet but Mickey couldn’t even convince himself. “But you cannot tell Fiona or Lip or Debbie, don’t even tell Liam because that kid is starting to repeat more and more of the shit that people say, otherwise I won’t have anywhere to live.” Carl nodded and continued walking in silence. 

 

Carl had promised Mickey that he wouldn’t notice the kid being there, but Carl had not yet shut up, yelling whenever Mickey fired a shot about who cool this was. “Can I have a go?” And there was the inevitable question. “Can you teach me?”

“What no! I’m not teaching a 10 year old how to use a gun!” Mickey yelled looking away from the target for a second, even Milkovich’s have consciences sometimes, even if Mickey wasn’t technically a Milkovich anymore. 

Carl looked down in disappointment. “Well how old were you when you learnt how to use a gun?” Mickey wanted to lie he really did, but Mickey had in fact been quite a bit younger than Carl was now when his cousin had shown him how to use a gun. So instead Mickey just didn’t answer Carl’s question.

“What’s with all you Gallagher’s and asking unimportant questions?” Mickey shot at the target again. 

“You were younger than I am, weren’t you?” Carl grinned as if he had been let in on one of the biggest secrets in the world.

“If Fiona let you know that I let you anywhere near a gun she would kill me let alone if I let you touch one and god forbid fire it.” Mickey kept trying to get Carl to drop it because if he didn’t Mickey would end up teaching Carl how to use the bloody gun. 

And in the end Mickey did teach Carl to use the gun, he stood behind him with his hands on top of Carl’s placing them in the right placing with the gun at arm’s length away from him. “Look down the barrel of the gun at the target and then press the trigger.” Mickey told the smaller boy keeping his hands on top of Carl’s just in case the kid pulled something stupid. Carl was actually fairly good armed with a gun, but don’t tell Fiona that and Mickey would never tell anyone but it actually felt quite good to teach someone else something, especially something that Mickey was actually good at. “Come on Carl, we should probably get back so I can put some dinner on, Fiona will be home soon too.” Mickey stopped the kid just as he was running out of bullets, it was probably for the best too because the younger boys arm were beginning to get tired and they were gradually falling from the position that Mickey had angled them at.

“Can we come back here again?” Carl asked as he handed Mickey the gun back carefully so he didn’t end up shooting any of his limbs off. 

“Only if nobody ever finds out that I let you fire a gun, because if Fiona find out she’ll-” Carl cut Mickey off with a “Kill you.”

“Correct, then I won’t be here to teach you cool shit like this, okay?” Carl nodded and followed Mickey home. 

 

The kid was really starting to grow on him. However Mickey wasn’t so sure that something wasn’t trying to grow on that rabbit that Carl had brought home.

“Carl, is something growing on that rabbit?” Mickey asked looking down at the dead rabbit with a scowl. 

“Probably.” Carl shrugged and poked it with a stick that he’d pulled off one of next doors trees. 

“You didn’t kill it did you?” Mickey sighed. “It wouldn’t have started growing shit that quickly.” Mickey wasn’t smart but he knew about that, Terry had killed a few people in his time, they really started to stink after a while.

Carl suddenly looked rather small - smaller than he already was. “I never said I did kill it..” Carl said quietly. “No I didn’t kill it, little Frank and I found it in the woods but it was already dead, it was probably a fox or something.”

Mickey grinned. “It’s okay kid, you’re still cool.” Mickey wrapped his arm around Carl and lead him into the house, he wanted to punch himself because he doesn’t think he was lying.


	6. Chapter 6

Mickey would never admit it but he was starting to really enjoy living at the Gallagher’s, he liked looking after the kids, and he liked the way that Fiona would make breakfast every morning and remember the way he took his coffee and she would leave him a plate of dinner to warm up on the kitchen table for after he got back from the Kash & Grab. His favourite Gallagher kid, apart from Ian of course, was Debbie because Mickey could see the potential in the kid, when she came back from the library with a bag overflowing with books about maths and art in tow Mickey couldn’t help but grin at how enthusiastic the kid was, she really reminded him of Ian so much.

“Mickey?” Debbie asked from beside him at the breakfast table. When Mickey turned around from feeding Liam to look at her she continued. “Will you go swimming with me?” the girl asked, hope in her eyes, and Mickey for once thought he was going to say no. He hated swimming more than anything, he’d never really learnt as a kid and always got laughed at when their pe lessons were spent at the pool because he could never keep above the water. Mickey also had to look after Liam that day so even if he’d wanted to go he couldn’t. 

Lip had watched the return amused, Lip remembered all the times that he’d walked past the pool when he had a free period and seen all of Mickey’s classmates laughing at him.

“Sorry Debs, I have to look after Liam.” Mickey said and it wasn’t a lie he actually did have too. “Otherwise I would have loved to have gone swimming with you.” That however was.

“I could look after Liam.” Lip piped up from opposite Debbie. “I’m not doing anything today, I’d be happy to, then you can go swimming with Debbie.” 

Mickey didn’t know what to say, he couldn’t just tell the whole freaking Gallagher family that he couldn’t swim, they’d laugh at him. Mickey felt sick, he hated the way that everyone had laughed at him when he was younger because he couldn’t swim and he didn’t want the Gallagher’s laughing at him too. But they would find out either way because Mickey had to either tell them he couldn’t swim or go with Debbie and she sees that he can’t swim, Mickey isn’t sure which is less embarrassing. 

“Are you okay Mickey?” Fiona asked peering at Mickey. “You look really pale let me feel your head.” Fiona pressed the back of her hand to Mickey’s face, who really did look like he was about to return his breakfast back to its plate. 

Lip frowned slightly, he didn’t want the older boy to actually go swimming or something, he knew the kid couldn’t swim and right now it looked like the boy didn’t have a choice.

“I can’t swim.” Mickey blurted out before turning a dark shade of red and groaning.

Debbie smiled. “That’s okay, we can take Liam and sit in the baby pool, and that way you definitely won’t drown.” 

Mickey hid his face in his hands looking up at Carl through his fingers. The younger boy had really taken to Mickey he followed him around everywhere and attempted to copy everything he did, most of the time Mickey had to stop him before he hurt someone. It was quite cool having someone look up to you like that and now that Carl knew he couldn’t swim Mickey was sure the boy was going to stop. “It took me ages to learn how to swim.” Carl grinned, he was lying but he thought it might make Mickey feel better, Fiona and Lip shared a knowing look. “I was always scared of the water, but once I tried I really enjoyed it.”

And maybe Mickey knew that Carl was lying, but maybe it made him feel better anyway that Carl still thought he was the shit. “Okay.” Mickey said letting his hands fall to the table. “But only if we take Liam.”

 

“Do you miss Ian?” Debbie asked after they had been in the baby pool for just over an hour. It had startled Mickey slightly because they had been sat in a comfortable silence for most of the time. 

Mickey turned to look at Ian’s youngest sister. “Of course I miss him, he was a massive part of my life just like he was a massive part of yours.”

“Why haven’t you written to him yet then?” Debbie asked watching as Liam splashed about and kicked his legs. Ian had been gone four and a half months now and they had had the address for a month and a half, the Gallagher’s had all written him letters already, they hadn’t told Ian that Mickey was currently sleeping on their couch, they were leaving that to Mickey. But Mickey hadn’t sent Ian a letter yet, Mickey didn’t know why, he’d love to talk to Ian but he’s not sure that he wants to know all the things that Ian is doing, if he got hurt doing something or has somehow met a gay guy in the army that is so much better than Mickey, that and the fact that Ian had left on a rather sour note so Mickey wasn’t sure that Ian would even want to hear from him. Of course Ian would love to hear from Mickey, but Mickey didn’t know that.

“I wouldn’t know what to say.” Mickey finds himself saying, it’s probably not even a lie, Mickey hasn’t sat down with a piece of paper but if he thought about it right now he would have no idea what he’d say to Ian. Mickey doesn’t know if he’d tell him that he was staying with the Gallagher’s, how he got high with Lip and baked with Debbie and taught Carl things and helped Fiona out a lot. Mickey doesn’t know if he’d tell him that he’d admitted he was gay, that he’d told Fiona and Lip that he loved Ian. He doesn’t know if he would tell him that he loved the whole of the Gallagher family and that he was starting to become one. He doesn’t know if he would tell Ian that he missed him, that he loves him and to come home safe. He just know.

Later that night after Mickey and Debbie came back from the pool and Mickey had completed his shift, Mickey opened a brand new notebook that he’d bought from the Kash & Grab and started writing Ian a letter, but not with the intention to send it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is really short, but I didn't want to waffle on about nothing.  
> J x

It’s been six months since Ian left when Fiona finds the letters that Mickey has written for Ian, she wasn’t snooping, she had merely been tidying up the living room when she noticed a plain black notebook wedged beneath the couch cushions so she opened it to find out who it belonged to. What she hadn’t expected to see was a month and a half’s worth of unsent letters to Ian from Mickey. Fiona spent half an hour reading each one that described in detail what he had done that day, which kid he had looked after and what he had done with them, whether he had gotten high with Lip, or baked with Debbie, or drew with Liam or even taken Carl to the park to scare kids, or do something which Fiona should’ve been angry about but really she didn’t care. 

Fiona’s favourite letter was the first one, it was the longest letter too because he had had a whole three months to account for and apologies to make. Mickey had written about his brother finding out he was gay and the hooker he’d married and why he’d done it. He had told him about Lip telling the rest of his family and Ian’s, how Fiona had let him move in and why he’d been sleeping on the couch and not in Ian’s bed. When he realised that he had become an honorary Gallagher and why Mickey hadn’t written a letter yet. 

What Fiona liked the most about the letters was the way that Mickey had signed the letters off. Every letter ended with ‘I love you, please be safe, love Mickey x’ it was all the things that Mickey could never say. 

Fiona understood why Mickey never sent the letters and that was the reason that she closed the notebook and slid it back where she found it, pretending that she’d never seen it in the first place. 

Fiona had been sure to hug Mickey extra tight before she’d left that night.


	8. Chapter 8

Ian’s been gone just over 9 months when Fiona gather’s all of the Gallagher clan around, including Mickey, to tell them what the newest letter she received said. “Ian has sent me a letter.” Fiona started, waving the letter at the faces sat around her. She uncrumpled it slightly and began to read:

‘Dear Fiona,

It’s been 9 months but the army have finally found out that I’m not 18. I’m not quite sure how they figured it out but now they know. Since I am currently front line I can’t be discharged for at least another two months, maybe three. But I will not be able to stay past that. I am very lucky that the guy in charge has taken a liking to me, if he hadn’t perhaps I would be in a lot more trouble and would currently be on a flight back home. 

I am fine at the moment, I still haven’t been shot you’ll be pleased to hear and I hope that I won’t get shot in my last few months out here. 

I’ll write you a letter when I know which day I’ll get home.

I love you,

Ian x’

Everybody started yelling and applauding, because Ian was coming home. But Mickey wasn’t sure what to think, because Ian was coming home. The same Ian that had left after Mickey had asked him to stay the same Ian that didn’t know that Mickey had been sleeping on his couch for the last 9 months. The same Ian that he had written four and a half’s months’ worth of unsent letters to, telling him everything that went on in his life. 

Mickey doesn’t know how Ian will react when he finds out that Mickey has been staying as his house for the best part of a year and looking after all his siblings.

Mickey should be happy that Ian is going to be coming home finally but he doesn’t know how to be happy when the last time Mickey saw Ian he’d had so much hate in his voice and Mickey isn’t sure that Ian would want him back anymore, even if Mickey did tell Ian that he loved him. 

But Mickey faked a smile and cheered with the rest of the Gallagher’s like he hasn’t got a care in the world anymore. 

 

It’s a Friday two and a half weeks later when Fiona received the letter with the date that Ian’s coming home on it, and on that day Ian had been gone 10 months. The letter was rushed and all it says it that Ian will be home on Tuesday 17th September. On that day it will have been a year since Ian left. 

Ian will be back in two months and Mickey isn’t ready for Ian to come back yet. For Ian to find everything out just yet. But at the same time Mickey wanted nothing more than to have Ian back in Southside again, so Mickey will know that Ian is safe all the time.

It’s Lip that talked to Mickey about Ian, the two of them shared a joint as they talked. Mickey voiced all his worries and Lip told Mickey to shut up and that of course Ian would want Mickey back, Ian’s just like that, too forgiving apparently. And somehow after the whole joints been smoked and Lip is in bed Mickey stops worrying for once and starts counting down the days until Ian gets home, he tells himself that the time will fly by and Ian will soon be back and writes his letter for that day, telling Ian about how he’d got Debbie a birthday present from her favourite cooking store and how he’d actually bought it instead of shoplifting it. 

From that day on Mickey uses the letters that he wrote to countdown the days until Ian finally came home.


	9. Chapter 9

The Sunday two weeks before Ian returned home was Mickey’s birthday and Mickey’s not had a proper birthday since his mum had left and he hadn’t had a birthday present in nearly as long, except from Mandy (and the rest of the Milkovich’s, but they stole the presents so it didn’t count) and Mandy was family so that didn’t count either. Mickey tried to convince himself that maybe if Ian had known when his birthday was that maybe he would’ve bought him something. But then Mickey remembered all the times Ian had bought him something and Mickey had replied with a nasty comment like ‘you’re so gay’ or ‘you’re such a fairy’ and Mickey decides that because of that Ian would probably never buy Mickey anything ever again. 

Mickey thinks that the way the Gallagher’s celebrate is actually really fun, and usually the only things that Mickey thinks are fun is shooting a gun or punching a few people, we he used to anyway. Now his life is overrun with baby Liam and Debbie and Carl and it’s actually fun looking after them. 

The first thing that Mickey likes about Gallagher celebrations is the fact that they all drink an awful lot of booze, and even Debbie and Carl are allowed a little bit, not that Carl doesn’t drink anyway, he’s always managing to get his hands on alcohol anyway. 

Mickey likes the way that the Gallagher’s always make you feel special when it’s your birthday. They’ll all pitch in and buy something that you actually need, for Mickey it was some new clothes because they all knew that Mickey had been stealing Ian’s clothes for the past 11 and a half months, but they were all too polite to mention it. Well not necessarily polite but they knew that it probably wouldn’t be best to mention it seen as the subject was still a little sore. Mickey wasn’t sure what Ian would think of Mickey wearing his clothes, what he would think of the way that the sleeves pooled around his arms and the neck hung off his shoulders. The Gallagher’s weren’t sure either. 

The Gallagher’s had also bought him some new books - mainly courtesy of Debbie - since Fiona and Debbie had convinced Mickey to take some classes at community college, Lip also but he’d never tell you that he’d spent his time trying to get Mickey fucking Milkovich to go back to school. Mickey finds it funny that Ian had tried, and failed, to convince Mickey to go back, yet his family had managed to convince him in half the time. Mickey didn’t know what Ian would think of this, but he hoped it would earn one of the signature Gallagher shit eating grins, much like the pair of matching grins from Debbie and Fiona when Mickey had grunted out a ‘fine, as long as you shut up’. 

The Gallagher’s didn’t buy Mickey any of the things that Milkovich’s ever had, well any of the things that the Milkovich’s stole for Mickey, Mickey had been lucky to get anything from the Milkovich’s, but he could almost expect presents from the Gallagher’s.

Fiona had given Mickey a new notebook, since the old one had become full up, and a knowing smile when Mickey had raised his eyebrow questioningly, Carl had killed Mickey a rabbit, this time he had actually killed it, it was a joke though, Carl had actually bought Mickey a new xbox game, Debbie had baked the birthday cake, using the cook book that Mickey had bought her for her birthday a month or so previously and Liam had drawn Mickey a picture, even the toddler had known the importance of the day. Even Frank had swung by and chucked a carton of cigarettes at the birthday boy.

But the best birthday present that Mickey could ever want or ask for was the fact he knew that Ian would be home in just a few more weeks. Call him gay, he’d say whatever, because he was and he couldn’t bring himself to care.


	10. Chapter 10

The Tuesday, a few days after Mickey’s birthday, Mickey bumped into two of his brothers. They hadn’t been quite as accepting as Terry had been, not that he had been but he wasn’t going to kill him. Whereas Mickey’s brothers fully intended to kill him when the pounded their firsts into his head and when they brought out a gun, Mickey thought he was done for, for sure and boy he had been close to being done for. Mickey’s brother had shot him in his left side and it had skimmed his appendix, but it was still enough to make his appendix rupture.

It was all very bittersweet that Ian had been the guy in the army but Mickey had been the one to get shot, again, and almost die. But it was the almost that counted, Mickey didn’t die but it left him immobile for quite a while, in fact Mickey had got out of the hospital two days before Ian had gotten home but had been put on bed rest since he had been allowed out of hospital a week before he had meant to have been. 

Before the Gallagher’s had left Mickey had begged them to let him come with them, begged them to let him come with them to pick Ian up. “I’m sorry Mickey, no can do.” Fiona had frowned and patted Mickey on the shoulder. “You have to stay in bed, well on the couch. Don’t do anything stupid, you’ll end up opening your stitches again, we’ll be back in about an hour unless Ian’s flight was delayed.” Fiona chucked Mickey his phone. “We’ll keep you updated.” 

“Fi?” As Fiona went to leave Mickey stopped her, Fiona turned back just before she reached the door. “Are you going to tell Ian? Or are you just going to let him find out?” Mickey carefully brought his thumb to his face nervously rubbing his lip.

“I think that you should be the one to tell him.” Fiona smiled reassuringly. “He loves you, remember that.”

 

Ian’s flight hadn’t been delayed, in fact it was early, and when he’d met the Gallagher’s in the welcome lounge he’d looked around almost expecting Mickey to be there waiting for him but he almost laughed at his own stupidity, of course Mickey wasn’t there to see Ian.

When Ian had walked through the door Mickey was asleep on his couch, one arm hanging off the couch and the other placed cautiously above his head letting Ian’s jumper pool at his elbow, his hand still clutching his mobile like his life depended on it. 

“What, what is he doing here?” Ian asked turning back to the rest of the Gallagher’s, his eyes cold.

“You’ll have to ask him.” Fiona replied standing in the doorway.

Ian walked over to where Mickey was asleep on the couch and sat on the chair next to him. “Mickey.” Ian said quietly. “MICKEY!”

Mickey jolted awake. “Ian, you’re home!” Mickey tried to sit upright. 

“Nuh uh Mister.” Debbie said, gently putting her hand on Mickey’s shoulder.

“Come on guys let’s leave them to talk.” Fiona smiled and gently guided Debbie and Carl back out the door, the had left Liam with Sheila, a busy airport is not a suitable place for a toddler.  
“I can’t believe you’re home.” Mickey smiled at Ian and Ian almost softened for a second.

“Mickey what are you doing here? In my house, in my clothes, asleep on my couch.” Ian asked slapping his hands down on his knees for emphasis. 

Mickey considered telling Ian the truth, that his dad knew about him being gay, that he’d looked after the Gallagher’s and had been almost killed by his homophobic brothers, but he didn’t tell Ian. Instead he simply said. “I needed somewhere to stay.” And it isn’t a lie. 

“Go home Mickey.” Ian shook his head and walked away from the older up the stairs and away from the older. It seemed like the army had changed Ian too much, he was no longer the same kind-hearted boy that Mickey had known, he no longer wanted to put up with Mickey and Mickey could understand that, because sometimes he doesn’t want to put up with himself either.

 

Needless to say when Ian came back downstairs Mickey was gone, because Milkovich’s don’t stay where they aren’t wanted (though Mickey isn’t technically a Milkovich anymore) even if his surgery wounds could bleed out.

It was Debbie that realised Mickey was gone first, she’d brought a plate of dinner over to the couch, freezing when she realised Mickey wasn’t there. Nobody was quite sure how they hadn’t realised the tattooed boy was no longer lying on their couch.

It was Fiona that asked Ian where Mickey had gone and it was Lip that punched Ian when he told him that Mickey had gone home because Ian had asked Mickey to.

And it was Carl that cried when they found out Mickey had left, not Debbie, because it was Mickey that had taught Carl how to live.

But it was Frank that brought Mickey to the hospital after he found him bleeding out on the sidewalk on the way to the little league field and of course it was there that Mickey had chosen to go to.

The Gallagher’s hadn’t gone to the hospital straight away when they found out that Frank had found Mickey, because he wouldn’t be allowed out that night anyway and Fiona still had to deal with Ian. 

Ian was sat at the kitchen table with his hands in his lap, silently staring at the table, with a nasty bruise courtesy of Lip forming on his cheek, when Fiona came in with the black notebook in his hand. “You asked why Mickey never wrote to you.” Fiona said. “Well he did, he just never sent the letters, he was too scared of what you might think.” Fiona placed the notebook on the table. “Seven and a half months’ worth of letters that Mickey wrote to you, I suggest you read them all and then think about apologizing to Mickey.”

That night was the first night that Ian had cried in a year. Mickey had finally said all the things that he needed too. Even if he hadn’t said it directly to Ian, it was still enough, in fact it was more than enough.


	11. Chapter 11

Ian went to visit Mickey the next day, he left the house half an hour after the rest of the Gallagher clan had. After lying about being Mickey’s cousin and obtaining his room number Ian stood quietly outside Mickey’s hospital room watching through the small circular window on the door as everyone conversed with Mickey. 

Liam was sat on Mickey playing with his fingers, Carl was sat next to Mickey in his hospital bed as close as he could without risking opening Mickey’s stitches again and he’s trying not to cry again because Carl can remember what Mickey said about Milkovich’s not crying, even if Mickey isn’t a Milkovich anymore, Debbie was sat next to Mickey’s bed reading a book about hospitals and telling Mickey everything he needs to know just like she had the first time, it was like Debbie thought Mickey had amnesia as well as no appendix. Fiona was sat next to Debbie watching and grinning at the whole situation. Frank was stood by the window and he wasn’t drunk for once. 

Ian stood watching the Gallagher’s and Mickey for at least half an hour when a Doctor pardoned himself and let himself into Mickey’s room to check the blood transfusion or something, and when the door opened the Gallagher’s noticed Ian stood there watching them. 

Carl jumped off of Mickey’s bed and stormed over to the door and shut it in Ian’s face. “He does not deserve to be here right now.” Carl replied when all of the people in Ian’s hospital room turned to look at him in shock.

“Carl’s right.” Lip agreed and Ian’s heart broke when he heard that since Lip had always been on Ian’s side when it came to Mickey. 

“It’s not up to you two.” Fiona shook her head. “Mickey do you want to see Ian? He knows everything now.”

Mickey looked down at the small child in his lap that was rubbing his own tiny little fingers over Mickey’s tattooed fingers. The grin on Ian’s face is what Mickey would describe as shit-eating when Mickey said “Of course I want to see him.”

The Gallagher’s - with the exception of Liam who refused to leave the older boys lap- left Mickey’s hospital room to go and get some food from the hospital cafeteria. 

“You’re so good with him.” Ian comments watching in complete awe as the little boy fists the sheets in his hands and looks up at Mickey adoringly. 

“I don’t know what he likes about me, what any of them like about me.” Mickey replied pulling Liam’s thumb out of his mouth because they are in a hospital and it’s probably very infectious in here. 

“I do.” Ian said softly, taking the seat that Debbie had been sat in. “I’m so sorry Mick, I didn’t know what had happened and you can’t exactly blame me because you didn’t tell me and neither did anyone else. I didn’t know about your dad.”

“It’s fine.” Mickey shrugged, tickling the boy in his lap. 

“It’s not though.” Ian frowned and cracked his knuckles, a nervous habit that he had somehow picked up in 8th grade. 

“Gallagher, seriously it’s fine. It was my fault you left because I didn’t tell you I wanted you to stay, or that I loved you or whatever you wanted me to say and it’s my fault that you didn’t know about my dad and me staying with your family. I should’ve told you.” Mickey didn’t look at Ian as he spoke instead he just looked out the window or at Liam in his lap.

“And do you?” Ian asked, biting down on his lip hopefully and it reminded Mickey of when he and Lip had talked during his first few nights at the Gallagher house.

“Ian, you know I love you.” Mickey looked Ian in the eye all seriousness evident, it was obvious Mickey was telling the truth since he never called Ian, Ian, he normally called him Firecrotch or Gallagher or anything other than Ian. 

“Oh Mick.” Ian was crying and Mickey didn’t know what to do he didn’t know how to deal with crying people.

“Was wrong, firecrotch?” And there it was again one of Mickey’s nicknames for the redhead, Ian loved those nicknames.

“You finally said it. I love you too Mick.” Ian grinned from ear to ear and Mickey didn’t know what it was about that stupid grin of Ian’s but it made Mickey want to kiss it off Ian’s face. 

“Gallagher get your ass over here and kiss me, I’d do it myself but I kind of got shot…” Mickey grinned and beckoned Ian over. 

It was only their third kiss ever, all three of which had been initiated by Mickey, even the third one technically, but Ian couldn’t ask of anymore from the older boy, the kiss was absolutely perfect. Of course it probably would’ve been better if Ian wasn’t awkwardly standing over Mickey because he couldn’t move, but it was still pretty damn perfect.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that you had to wait for this (: hope you enjoy!

Mickey was allowed out of bed, well allowed of the couch, two and a half weeks later with a promise he wouldn't get into too much trouble for Fiona. Ian had taken him on a date that very day, it was only pizza and a movie but it was a big step for Mickey and their relationship in general, Mickey had even called Ian his boyfriend and he was over the moon. It had just taken some Gallagher magic to get Mickey to open up, Mickey was still convinced that there was something about those Gallagher's that you just couldn't say no to. 

 

Three years later and Ian and Mickey were sat in that same little pizza parlor that Ian had taken Mickey to on their very first date, after of course going to watch a movie in the exact same cinema as before. 

"I can't believe we've been dating three years." Mickey smiled and let Ian grab his hand from across the table. 

"Neither can I." Ian grinned, that stupid shit-eating grin. "I thought we'd be stuck hooking up at the little league field and the Kash and Grab forever more." Over the past three years Mickey had gotten better with public displays of affection and showing his feelings to Ian and Ian was so damn proud of the older boy. 

"Sorry." Mickey replied guiltily, looking down at the table. 

"Mickey..." Ian started and trailed off. "Mickey look at me." The older boy looked up at the redhead slowly. "Mickey we've been dating for three years now and I deliberately took you here because this is where I took you three years ago, I don't know if you remembered but yeah, now I'm rambling." Ian chuckled slightly and Mickey squeezed his hand to get him to carry on. "I guess what I'm trying to say is.. will you marry me Mickey Milkovich?" Ian was by his side, down on one knee still clutching Mickey's hand but with the other he shakily pulled out a dark blue ring box and opened it. 

"Yes!" Mickey had cried out without even thinking about it, he just couldn't say no to those damn Gallagher's not that he would ever want to.. 

 

Mickey's ring was a plain silver band with "Mick." carved on the inside and Mickey had bought Ian the same band but had "Firecrotch" engraved on the inside. The wedding was beautiful. It was a winter wedding six months after they'd got enganged. Mandy and Debbie had been their maids of honour and Liam, now 11, was the flower boy much to his displeasure. All of the Gallagher's had turned up with all of their children in tow, did the Gallagher's have mutant sperm or something? The ceremony was simple and it was just family, even though that was actually quite a few people. Mickey's brother had landed themselves life sentences in prison and Terry had died of lung cancer a year earlier, nobody had gone to the funeral, but Mickey had visited the grave.. and pissed on it. The two boys adopted a little girl a year after their wedding and they couldn't be happier.

Ian and Mickey got their happy ever after all because Mickey couldn't say no.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope it wasn't too much?


End file.
